Students should also follow ideological debates in contemporary American
politics by going to the sites found below.There are important think tanks on both
the left and right and each produce informative research on contemporary
political issues.You may read studies
representing contemporary liberalism by going to the online site of the Center
for American Progress at:http://www.americanprogress.org/and Brookings at: http://www.brookings.edu/There are important political
magazines found on both the left and right that feature stories and editorials
on contemporary political issues.You may read articles representing
different contemporary liberal views by going to the online version of The New
Republic at:http://www.tnr.com/You may read studies
representing contemporary conservatism by going to the online site of The
Heritage Foundation at:http://www.heritage.org/and the American Enterprise Institute For
Public Policy Research at:http://www.aei.org/You may read articles
representing different contemporary conservative views by going to the online
version of The National Review at:http://www.nationalreview.com/#

Every test will have at least one question dealing with current events and
the ideological debates surrounding them.

A useful site for checking on the facts presented in public forums:http://www.factcheck.org/Many thoughtful students sometimes wonder how much they can trust
information about politics they encounter when viewing political ads and
reading political editorials. They also worry about the objectivity of media
news reports. Both conservatives and liberals complain about the distortion of
facts found in the political ads run by the other side and various websites
sponsored by opposition ideological groups. Distorting the views and positions
of the opposition to make them look as bad as possible is an all too typical
campaign technique. As a citizen and a student you not only should consider
examining many different perspectives and sources of information but also make
use of above site sponsored by the Annenberg Public Policy Center. The experts
at this site check out the factual accuracy of many political speeches, ads,
and news releases. They take on both the left and the right, finding errors put
out by democrats and republicans. This site is especially useful when elections
approach in examining current political debates over public policy.

Various optional background readings will be available in Dr. Harbour’s office.

Thornton Anderson.Jacobson’s
Development of American Political Thought. New York:
Appleton-Century-Crofts, Inc., 1961.
Sue Davis. American Political Thought: Four Hundred Years of Ideas and
Ideologies.
Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1996.
Kenneth M. Dolbeare. American Political
Thought. Monterey, California: Duxbury Press,
1981.Kenneth M. Dolbeare and Linda J. Medcalf.American
Ideologies Today.Second Edition.
New
York: McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1993.AmitaiEtzioni. Rights
and the Common Good: The Communitarian Perspective. New York:
St. Martin’s Press, Inc., 1995.
Allen Pendleton Grimes. American Political Thought.
Hinsdale, Illinois: Drydeen Press,
1960. David A. Hollinger and Charles Capper.Editors.The American Intellectual Tradition, Vol II1865 to the Present.Third Edition.
New York: Oxford University Press, 1997.Alpheus Thomas Mason and Gordon E. Baker. American
Political Thought.Fourth Edition. New
York: Oxford University Press, 1985.
Paul Schumaker, Dwight C Kiel, Thomas W. Heilke. Ideological Voices: An Anthology in Modern
Political Ideas. New York:
The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.,1997.
William Graham Sumner. What Social Classes Owe to Each Other. New York: Caxton, 1947. Thorstein Veblen. The
Theory of the Leisure Class. New York: Penguin Books,
1979.
Gayle Graham Yates. What Women Want: The Ideas of the Movement.
Cambaridge, Mass:
Harvard University Press, 1975.

Other Reading:
A good online source for articles on topics concerning American political
thought is the Britannica site found at: http://www.britannica.com/

Click HERE for the Study Guide which
contains questions for reading and thinking about the assignments, links to
useful web sites containing materials on the topics being explored, and
suggestions on developing your research for the critical thinking writing
assignments.

Week 1 (Aug. 20-30) Introduction to American Political
Thought;The Emergence of Social
Darwinism
Read: Kramnick & Lowi –
Articles by Sumner, Carnegie, Conwell, Ward
A good site with material on William Graham Sumner and other defenders of
laissez-faire liberalism is maintained by The Online Library of Liberty found
at: http://oll.libertyfund.org/index.php?option=com_staticxt&staticfile=show.php%3Fperson=236&Itemid=27
His What Social Classes Owe to Each Other may be found at: http://oll.libertyfund.org/index.php?option=com_staticxt&staticfile=show.php%3Ftitle=346&layout=html
Special Topics:
M:Introduction to American political
thought
W:What were the claims advanced by 19th
century advocates of laissez-faire liberalism and social Darwinism?
F:How does the debate over the claims
of laissez-faire liberalism and social Darwinism continue to this day? (Student presentation on William
Graham Sumner by Walter Culbertson) Critical Thinking Writing Exercise No. 1
Write a three page essay in which you explain the ideas advanced by 19th
century advocates of laissez-faire liberalism and social Darwinism. Also
show how Sumner’s ideas are still alive in current public policy debates.
This assignment is due on Friday.

Week 2 (Sept. 2-6) Populism, Social Protest, and Alternative
VisionsRead:Kramnick & Lowi, Articles by George, Bellamy, Lloyd, Ward, Donnelly,
Weaver, Watson, Lewelling, BryanFor a contemporary
site with left-wing populist articles, one can go to Salon at: http://www.salon.comFor a critique of how the financial
elites practice nepotism one can read the following: http://www.salon.com/2013/08/21/the_rich_summed_up_nepotism_cronyism_narcissism/
Special Topics:
M:No classes on Monday:Labor Day
W:What were some of the chief
criticisms of social and economic conditions advanced by the populists?What were some of the alternative
visions for society advanced by social critics such as George and Bellamy?(Student report on William
Jennings Bryan by Laura Jefferson)
F:How do some populist themes continue
to this day?Critical Thinking Writing Exercise No. 2
Write a three page essay in which you explain the main arguments advanced by
the populists.Evaluate their ideas.
This assignment is due on Friday.

Week 3 (Sept. 9-13) American Socialism; AnarchismRead:Kramnick & Lowi, Articles by Tucker, Goldman, Rauschenbusch, De Leon, and Debs
One may access articles on democratic socialism at the site maintained by the
Democratic Socialists of America at: http://www.dsausa.org/and Marxism at: https://www.marxists.org/
A good site with material on a wide variety of anarchist thinkers may be found
at the Anarchy Archives found at: http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu/Anarchist_Archives/index.html
Emma Goldman’s classic “Anarchism:What
It Really Stands For” may be found at: http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu/Anarchist_Archives/goldman/aando/anarchism.html
Special Topics:
M:Democratic Socialism in America
W:Marxist Socialism in America
F:American AnarchistsCritical Thinking Writing Exercise No. 3
Write a three page essay explaining and evaluating the ideas advanced by Emma
Goldman.
This assignment is due on Friday.

Week 4 (Sept. 16-20) Union ProtestsRead: Kramnick & Lowi,
Articles by Debs and Gompers
For articles representing the views of the contemporary American labor
movement, one can go to the site maintained by the AFL/CIO at: http://www.aflcio.org/
Special Topics:
Monday:What were the conditions that
helped to pave the way for union movements?
Wednesday:What were some of the
principal political and economic ideas advanced by the union movement?(Student
presentation on Eugene Debs by William Coster)
Friday: NOTE: You will have your first test on Friday, Sept. 20.
This test will count for 1/6 of your semester grade.

Week 5 (Sept. 23-27) Pragmatism, Social Reform, and the Progressives
Read: Kramnick & Lowi,
Articles by Steffens, Sinclair, Ryan, Addams, Rauschenbusch, Veblen, James,
Dewey, Beard, Croly, T. Roosevelt, WilsonYou may read articles representing
contemporary progressive thinking by going to the online site of the Center for
American Progress at:http://www.americanprogress.org/Special Topics:
M:Pragmatism (Student presentation on John
Dewey by Ellen Farmer)
W:The Progressives(Student presentation on Upton
Sinclair by Caitlin Payne)(Student presentation on Herbert
Croly by Dakota Canipe)
F:How do some of the themes of the
Progressives continue to this day? Critical Thinking Writing Exercise No. 4
Write a three page essay in which you explain the meaning of pragmatism and
then discuss what the progressives owed to pragmatism. This assignment is due on Friday.

Week 9 (Oct. 21-25) America and the World Read:Kramnick & Lowi, Articles by George Washington, Strong, Beveridge, Sumner, Platform of the American
Anti-Imperialist League, Niebuhr, KennanGeorge Washington’s Farewell Address may be found at: http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/washing.aspWilliam Graham Sumner’s
The Conquest of the United States by
Spain may be found at: http://files.libertyfund.org/files/2485/Sumner_ConquestUS1898.pdfWoodrow Wilson’s Fourteen
Points may be found at: http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/wilson14.aspHans Morgenthau’s six
principles of political realism may be found at: https://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/morg6.htmThe statement of principles of the Project
for The New American Century (associated with neoconservative foreign policy
views) may be found at: http://www.newamericancentury.org/statementofprinciples.htmSpecial Topics:
M:What role should America play in the
world?(Student presentation on Albert J.
Beveridge by Logan Ragsdale)
W:Liberalism and Realism
F:Libertarian and Neoconservative Views(Student presentation on Robert Kagan by Chris Gordon) Critical Thinking Writing Exercise No. 7
Write a three page essay in which you explain the differences between those who
disagree over America’s role in the world.This assignment is due on Friday.
Week 10 (Oct. 28-Nov. 1) Immigration, Race, the Civil Rights MovementRead: Kramnick & Lowi,
Articles by Slater and George, Strong, T. Roosevelt, Lodge, Amendments 13, 14,
15, Chief Joseph, Crazy Horse, Smohalla, Plessy v. Ferguson, 1896 (Brown and Harlan), Booker T.
Washington, W.E.B. Du Bois, Garvey, Evans, Hughes, King, SNCC, Malcolm X,
Rustin, Carmichael, Thurgood Marshall, Cornel
West
One may read articles about contemporary civil rights issues at the website of
the NAACP at:http://www.naacp.org/home/index.htm
and access informative articles on civil rights issues and hate groups at the
website of the Southern Poverty Law Center at:http://www.splcenter.org/index.jspSpecial Topics:
M:On what Basis did Du Bois and others
Challenge Racism early in the 20th Century?(Student presentation on Marcus
Garvey by Zachary Pittard)(Student presentation on Langston
Hughes by Queen Burrell)
W:What were the Central Issues
Surrounding the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960?(Student presentation on Malcolm X
by Brandon Branch)
F:Contemporary debates over Immigration
(Student presentation on Michael Walzer by Kellie Marsh) Critical Thinking Writing Exercise No. 8.
Write a three page essay in which you explain the theoretical justification
advanced by Martin Luther King, Jr. for his views on civil disobedience.
Explain whether or not you find his arguments convincing. This assignment is due on Friday.
Week 11 (Nov. 4-8) Liberalism and the challenge from The New LeftRead:Kramnick & Lowi, Articles by Robert Dahl,Daniel Bell, C. Wright Mills, SDS (The Port
Huron Statement), Savio, Rubin, McKibben,
Rubin
One of the most influential thinkers who influenced “critical theory” and New
Left theorists was Herbert Marcuse, and one may get access to his works and
commentaries on them at the Herbert Marcuse official homepage at: http://www.marcuse.org/herbert/
One may read many articles on the contemporary environmental movement by going
to the Greenpeace/USA website at: http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/
One may read about one of the most important theorists of the environmental
movement by going to the Aldo Leopold Archives and access some of his works
at:http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/AldoLeopold/
And one may read brief selections from his works at: http://gargravarr.cc.utexas.edu/chrisj/leopold-quotes.htmlSpecial Topics:M:The New Left’s critique of
American society (Student presentation on C. Wright
Mills by Tyler Webb)
W:The New Left alternatives
F: How do some of the debates surrounding the ideas of the New Left continue
today?(Student presentation on Noam
Chomsky by Osten Morris)Critical Thinking Writing Exercise No. 9
Write a three page essay in which you explain and evaluate the critique of
American society advanced by the New Left. This assignment is due on Friday.

Week 12 (Nov. 11-15) Conservatism in AmericaRead:Kramnick & Lowi, Articles by Adams, Twelve Southerners, Buckley,
Chambers, Hartz, Lippmann, Goldwater, YAF (The Sharon
Statement), Kristol, Bloom, Robertson, Nozick, FreidmanThere are important think tanks on
both the left and right and each produce informative research on contemporary
political issues.You may read studies
representing contemporary conservatism by going to the online site of The
Heritage Foundation at:http://www.heritage.org/and the American Enterprise Institute For Public
Policy Research at:http://www.aei.org/There are important political
magazines found on both the left and right that feature stories and editorials
on contemporary political issues.You may read articles
representing different contemporary conservative views by going to the online
version of The National Review at:http://www.nationalreview.com/#Special Topics:
M:What are the principal schools of
thought within American conservatism?(Student presentation on William
F. Buckley Jr. by Zamara Lopez)(Student presentation on Russell
Kirk by Kayla Atkins)
W:What are the most important ideas
advanced by contemporary conservatives?(Student presentation on Leo
Strauss by E.J. Dowling)(Student presentation on Phyllis Schlafly by Nicole Lee)Friday: NOTE: You will have your third test on Friday,
November 15. This test will count for 1/6 of your semester grade.
Week 13 (Nov. 18-22) Feminism
Read: Kramnick & Lowi,
Articles by Adams, Murray, Grimke, Beecher, Stanton, Brownson,
Woodhull, Anthony, Gilman, Addams, Friedan, NOW Bill of Rights, Redstockings Manifesto, Millett, Schaffly,
HooksMany feminist organizations have
informative web sites containing articles advancing their positions on
contemporary issues.One useful site is
that ofThe National Organization of Women
found at: http://www.now.org/Special Topics:
M:What were the main themes of the
Feminism found in the 19th and early 20th Centuries?
W:What were some of the main themes and
competing schools of thought developed within Feminism in the second half of
the 20th Century? (Student presentation on Iris
Marion Young by Logan Miller)
F:What are the
most Important Challenges facing Feminism today?Critical Thinking Writing Exercise No. 10
Write a three page essay in which you explain the most important claims
advanced by feminist theory. How do you assess the strengths of these
claims? You are quite justified in developing this essay if you wish to point
out the problems with the question being asked. This assignment is due on Friday.

Course Requirements:
Three tests
Ten Critical Thinking Writing Exercises (This will address the writing
intensive aspects of this course.)
Final comprehensive examination
Class discussion (This is a speaking intensive course; students will make
special oral presentations to the class to be scheduled throughout the
semester.These special presentations
will be viewed as part of your total participation in class discussion.Students will select a particular thinker to
make a report on, and once everyone has selected a thinker the dates of the
presentations will be posted on the syllabus.)

Grading:
Your semester grade will be based on three tests, the combined score on 10
critical thinking writing exercises, the final exam, and your contribution to
class discussion. Each will count for 1/6 of your semester grade. Grading: This course
uses the + and – grading scale.

The total
possible number of points to earn for the course is 600.Grades will be assigned according to the
following percentages:

A+ =
98-100%

A =
92-97%

A-= 90-91%

B+ =
88-89%

B =
82-87%

B-= 80-81%

C+ =
78-79%

C =
72-77%

C-= 70-71%

D+ =
68-69%

D =
62-67%

D- =
60-61%

F = 59%
and below

Students
with Disabilities:

If you
have a documented disability and require accommodations to obtain equal access
in this course, please let me know at the beginning of the semester or when
given an assignment for which an accommodation is required.The Director of Disability Support Services
can be reached at x2391.

Attendance Policy:
The attendance policy for this course is the University policy found in the
University Catalog and Student Handbook:
Students are expected to attend all classes. Failure to attend class
regularly impairs academic performance. Absences are disruptive to the
educational process for others. This is especially true when absences cause
interruptions for clarification of material previously covered, failure to
assume assigned responsibilities for class presentations, or failure to adjust
to changes in assigned material or due dates. It is the responsibility of
each instructor to give students a copy of his or her attendance policy in the
course syllabus. Instructors may assign a grade of “0” or “F” on work missed
because of unexcused absences. Instructors have the right to lower a student's
course grade, but no more than one letter grade, if the student misses 10 percent
of the scheduled class meeting times for unexcused absences. Instructors
have the right to assign a course grade of “F” when the student has missed a
total (excused and unexcused) of 25 percent of the scheduled class meeting
times. Students must assume full responsibility for any loss incurred because
of absence, whether excused or unexcused. Instructors should permit students to
make up work when the absence is excused. Excused absences are those resulting
from the student's participation in a University sponsored activity, from
recognizable emergencies, or from serious illness. Faculty may require
documentation for excused absences in their attendance policy. Student Health
Services can provide documentation only for students hospitalized locally or
absent at the direction of Student Health Services personnel.

Class Discussion:
Your instructor values class participation. Students are encouraged to ask
questions and to express their knowledge and beliefs about the material and
issues being dealt with in class. Students are expected to make contributions
to class discussion.
Your grade in this regard (which is worth 1/6 of your semester grade) will
be based upon your daily contributions during the semester.Since this is a speaking intensive course,
part of the class participation grade will be based on the formal presentations
students make to the class. Return to Table of Contents

Critical Thinking Writing Exercises:
There will be 10 critical thinking writing exercises. These assignments will be
three pages in length. They will be done in Microsoft Word with a Font size 12
and double spaced.For students majoring
in either history or political science, documentation for these exercises will
be done according to the Turabian format for a
research paper. A shorter version of that style manual can be found on the
History style manual at the following web address: http://www.longwood.edu/philpolhist/resources.htm
Students majoring in other disciplines may follow the documentation style they
are use to employing in their disciplines.All of these essays will also be turned in at: http://www.turnitin.com/When you go to this
site you must first establish your own identification and password.You then go to this course entitled American
Political Thought, use the course ID 6828952 and the course password
Posc342
Students will turn in a hard copy of the essay on the day the essays are due,
and must also submit an electronic copy to the turnitin.com site or receive a 0
on the assignment.
Your essays also must demonstrate reading beyond what is required for class
assignments and must reflect knowledge of current political events.Each essay is worth 10 points.There are 10 essays due during the semester.
Late papers will lose points.

Taking Exams:
All tests and exams must be taken on time. You are expected to provide
proof for any legitimate reason (illness, participation in a University
sponsored activity, or recognizable emergency) you have for missing a test or
exam. Critical thinking writing exercises handed in past the time they
are due will lose points.